Baseball base

ABSTRACT

A baseball base which comprises first and second interlocking plates, the first, plate is provided with a pair of generally cup shaped shoe members, a blade receiving slot and a ground engaging anchor member. The second plate is provided with a pair of generally L-shaped foot members and a ground penetrating blade member, the second plate also being enclosed by a resilient base padding having the foot and blade members extending through the padding surface. When the base is to be positioned on the ground, the anchor member is positioned in the ground as an anchor for the first base member, the L-shaped foot members and the blade member of the second plate are inserted into the shoe members and blade receiving slot respectively, of the first plate, thus making the base ready for use.

United States Patent [191 Golomb June 11, 1974 BASEBALL BASE PrimaryExaminer-Anton O. Oechsle Assistant Eraminer-Theatrice Brown I z Golom[75] mentor L Port Washington Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Friedman &Goodman [73] Assignee: Everlast World Boxing Headquarters Corp., Bronx,NY.

[ ABSTRACT A baseball base which comprises first and second interlockingplates, the first, plate is provided with a pair of generally cup shapedshoe members, a blade receiving slot and a ground engaging anchormember. The

i Second plate is provided with a pair of generally L- shaped footmembers and a ground penetrating blade 3 member, the second plate alsobeing enclosed by a re- 1 silient base padding having the foot and blademembers extending through the padding surface. When the base is to bepositioned on the ground, the anchor member is positioned in the groundas an anchor for j the first base member, the L-shaped foot members and6 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUN 1 I am SHEET 2 0F 3 24 FIG.3.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to abaseball base, and more particularly to a baseball base having means forpermitting anchoring the base in a detachable manner upon a baseballfield.

Conventional baseball bases, in the game of baseball, generally requiresome means by which the baseball base can be anchored relative to thebaseball field so as not to be shifted relative to a prescribed positionand orientation relative to the baseball field during play. One suchmeans for anchoring the baseball base is that of providing a helicalanchor or screw shaped member upon the baseball base itself so as topermit the baseball base to be threadedly rooted into the playing field.Removal of the baseball base, after the game has expired, requires theremoval of the entire assembly, namely the base itself together with thescrew member as an entire unit. This is somewhat unsatisfactory in thatwhen the baseball base is to be utilized again, its precise locationmust again be determined since upon earlier removal thereof thereoccurred a loss to some degree of the means for referencing the preciselocation at which the baseball base is to be properly anchored.

This disadvantage or draback has been overcome somewhat by providing ananchoring device such as a hollow spike which is to be permanentlyanchored beneath the surface of the playing field, which hollow spike isadapted to axially receive a stud or other projection fixed permanentlyto the underside of the baseball base. The baseball base and spikearrangement of this nature provides means for readily detaching thebaseball base from the playing field and alsoreferencing the preciselocation at which the baseball base is to again be replaced. However,the drawback associated with this type of arrangement is that thebaseball base is, during the course of the game, subjected to potentialuplift relative to the spike in which the stud or projection thereof isaxially seated, this because of the rather ineffective structure orassociation of structure between the base and the spike for reliablymaintaining the baseball base firmly, but detachably disposed upon theplaying field.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the presentinvention to provide a baseball base which can be detachably anchoredupon the playing field in a proper position reliably during the courseof the game notwithstanding the extent of harsh treatment subjectedthereto.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a baseball basewhich includes structure for being detachably yet permanently anchoredrelative to the playing field so as to provide reference means forprescribing the location at which the baseball base itself is to againbe disposed after removal thereof from the playing field after play.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide abaseball base and anchor therefor which are associated with one anotherin such a manner that there is prevented inadvertent uplift and lateralshifting of the baseball base relative to the playing field during thecourse of play.

To this end, the present invention relates generally to a baseball basecomprising first and second interfitting plates. The first plateincludes ground attachment means for being detachably rooted into anexternal ground surface and plate attachment means for detachablyconfining the second plate thereupon. The second plate includes groundpenetrating means for being detachably gauged into the external groundsurface, while the second plate is detachably confined by the firstplate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS With the above and additional objectsand advantages in view as will hereinafter appear, this inventioncomprises the devices, combinations and arrangements of partshereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings of apreferred embodiment in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the baseball base of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the association of the pair ofinterfitting plates of the baseball base pursuant to the presentinvention;

FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view taken along the line 33 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the upper of the plates illustrated inFIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the lower of the plates illustrated inFIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the lower plate;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 7-7 in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines 8-8 in FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the upper plate; and

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line l010 in FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings, andmore particularly to FIGS. 1-4, the present invention relates generallyto a baseball base denoted generally by the reference character 20. Thebaseball base includes a firstor lower plate 22 and a second or upperplate 24. The lower plate 22 includes upon the undersurface thereof ascrew-like member or helical stem 26 disposed centrally thereon andextending generally transversely relative thereto. On the upper surfaceof the lower plate 22, that surface opposite the surface from whichextends the helical stem 26, are disposed a pair of shoes 28. The shoes28 are best illustrated in FIGS. 58 and are formed in the lower plate22, the latter constituted preferably of rigid metal, by preferablyproviding by conventional means a pair of slits 29 (FIG. 6) in the plate22 and drawing a portion of the plate 22 upwardly (by conventionalmeans) relative to a fiat portion 30 of the plate 22 such that there isdefined what may be characterized as an inclined web 32 and a cut-out 34below the web 32 for each of the shoes 28.

At the opposite end portion of the plate 22, that portion opposite theend portion provided with the shoes 28, there is provided a slotted cutout 36 for receiving a blade-like member 38 formed as part of the upperplate 24 which is likewise preferably constituted of rigid metal.

, In this respect, there is formed a cut out 40 in the upper plate 24,as best illustrated in FIG. 9, the cut-out 40 being generally U- orC-shaped such that there is left in tact the integral association of theblade 38 with that of the plate 24, the blade 38 being provided by beingbent into a position so as to be disposed generally transversely of theunderside of the plate 24.

At the opposite end portion of the plate 24, there are provided twopairs of flanged feet 42, the configuration of which feet 42 is bestillustrated in FIGS. 4 and 10. In this respect, the flanged feet 42 areintegrally formed as part of the plate 24 in that the plate 24 isprovided with a pair of spaced cut-outs 44 (FIG. 4) of generally U- orC-shaped configuration such that there is formed three separated tailportions 46 lying within the plane of the upper plate 24.-

That portion of the plate 24 between the tail portions 46 as illustratedin FIG. 9 is then divided and bent or deformed into (by conventionalmeans not shown) the two pairs of L-shaped feet 42, the configuration ofwhich is best illustrated, as aforementioned, in FIGS. 4 and 10.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, the upper plate 24 is providedwith a foamed or otherwise resilient jacket 48 of conventional baseballbase configuration, a portion of the blade member 38 and respectiveportions of the flanged feet 42 being exposed relative to the undersideof the foamed jacket 48.

The interfitting association of the upper plate 24 with that of thelower plate 22 is best illustrated in FIGS. 1-3. In this respect, thelower plate 22 may be secured to the playing field by means of thehelical stem 26 which, in screw-like fashion, may be threadedly rootedfirmly, but detachably beneath the playing field surface, the helicalstem 26 being characterized herein generally as ground attachment means.Thereafter; the upper plate 24 may be disposed above the lower plate 22so as to permit insertion of one flanged foot 42A of each of the pairsof flanged feet 42 into a respective shoe 28 such that the inclined web32 of the respective shoe 28 overlies the flanged foot 42A and preventsuplift of the latter foot.

Moreover, the flanged foot 42B of each of the pairs of flanged feet 42will rest upon the upper surface of the lower plate 22 between the shoes28, this required principally because of the provision of the cut-out 34beneath each of the shoes 28 through which the flanged foot 42A of eachof the pairs of flanged feet 42 would, in the absence of the flangedfoot 423, project loosely through. Thus, the flanged foot 42B of each ofthe flanged feet 42, act as a pillar support for the upper plate 24 asresting upon the lower plate 22.

With the flanged feet 42 in association as described above with andbetween the shoes 28, the blade 38 of the upper plate 24 may,thereafter, be inserted through the slotted cut-out 36 provided in thelower plate 22 so as to extend substantially well beyond theundersurface of the lower plate 22 to be gauged into and below theplaying field surface.

The blade 38, thereby, in cooperation with the helical stem 26 firmly,but detachably, anchors the foamed jacket 48 to the playing field andresists rotation or other lateral shifting of the foamed jacket 48relative to the baseball field. The shoes 28, which may be characterizedas attachment means for confining the upper plate 24 upon the lowerplate 22, resists uplift of the upper plate 24 relative to the playingfield in an effective and reliable manner. In other words, the onlymanner by which the foamed jacket 48 or in effect, the upper plate 24can be detached from the playing field surface is by first uplifting theblade 38 through the cutout 34 in the lower plate 22 and, thereafter,pulling the upper plate 24 out of the confines of the shoes 28, theinadvertant likelihood of this happening during the course of the gamebeing remote but providing ground keepers and other personnel witheffective means for removing and attaching the baseball base 20 to theplaying field when necessary, the lower plate 22 generally remainingpermanently associated with the playing field for referencing thelocation at which the foamed jacket or upper plate 24 will be againattached for playing purposes.

Numerous alterations of the structure herein disclosed will suggestthemselves to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be understoodthat the present disclosure relates to a preferred embodiment of theinvention which is for purposes of illustration only and is not to beconstrued as a limitation of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A baseball base comprising a baseball base member, a first one-pieceintegral plate and a second onepiece integral plate;

said baseball base member being jacketed to define a top wall, a bottomwall and sidewalls; said-second plate including a flat body member, atleast one L-shaped flanged foot member extending downwardly from oneside of said body member, and ground penetrating blade means extendingdownwardly from an opposite side of said body member for beingdetachably gouged into a ground surface to resist rotation of saidbaseball base; said body member being encapsulated within said baseballbase member in a horizontal position with said foot member and saidblade means extending vertically downward through said bottom wall toexpose portions of said foot member and said blade means relative tosaid baseball base member; said first plate including a flat platemember disposable below said baseball base member in a position spacedapart from said body member of said second plate, ground attachmentmeans extending vertically downward from a bottom surface of said firstplate member for being detachably rooted into the ground surface, plateattachment shoe means disposed on one side of a top surface of saidfirst plate member for detachably receiving said foot member insertablehorizontally therein for preventing uplifting of said foot member, andslot means provided through an opposite side of said first plate memberfor removably receiving said blade means vertically therethrough so thatsaid blade means extends below said first plate member,

said slot means being spaced from all edges of said first plate memberto prevent any lateral shifting of said blade means relative to saidfirst plate;

whereby the only manner by which said baseball base member can bedetached from said first plate once anchored to the ground surface, isby first uplifting said blade means out of said slot means andthereafter horizontally pulling said foot member out of said shoe means.

2. .A baseball base as claimed in claim 1 wherein said ground attachmentmeans of said first plate includes a helical stem for being threadedlyrooted into the ground surface.

3. A baseball base as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second plateincludes a second flanged foot member spaced adjacent the first saidflanged foot member for foot member and shoe means constituting partialcutout portions of said plates respectively.

6. A baseball base as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second plateincludes a second flanged foot member spaced from the first said flangedfoot member for insertion into a second shoe means disposed on said oneside of said top surface of said plate member.

1. A baseball base comprising a baseball base member, a first one-pieceintegral plate and a second one-piece integral plate; said baseball basemember being jacketed to define a top wall, a bottom wall and sidewalls;said second plate including a flat body member, at least one Lshapedflanged foot member extending downwardly from one side of said bodymember, and ground penetrating blade means extending downwardly from anopposite side of said body member for being detachably gouged into aground surface to resist rotation of said baseball base; said bodymember being encapsulated within said baseball base member in ahorizontal position with said foot member and said blade means extendingvertically downward through said bottom wall to expose portions of saidfoot member and said blade means relative to said baseball base member;said first plate including a flat plate member disposable below saidbaseball base member in a position spaced apart from said body member ofsaid second plate, ground attachment means extending vertically downwardfrom a bottom surface of said first plate member for being detachablyrooted into the ground surface, plate attachment shoe means disposed onone side of a top surface of said first plate member for detachablyreceiving said foot member insertable horizontally therein forpreventing uplifting of said foot member, and slot means providedthrough an opposite side of said first plate member for removablyreceiving said blade means vertically therethrough so that said blademeans extends below said first plate member, said slot means beingspaced from all edges of said first plate member to prevent any lateralshifting of said blade means relative to said first plate; whereby theonly manner by which said baseball base member can be detached from saidfirst plate once anchored to the ground surface, is by first upliftingsaid blade means out of said slot means and thereafter horizontallypulling said foot member out of said shoe means.
 2. A baseball base asclaimed in claim 1 wherein said ground attachment means of said firstplate includes a helical stem for being threadedly rooted into theground surface.
 3. A baseball base as claimed in claim 1 wherein saidsecond plate includes a second flanged foot member spaced adjacent thefirst said flanged foot member for resting upon said first plateexternally of said shoe means.
 4. A baseball base as claimed in claim 1wherein said shoe means includes an inclined web, said inclined weboverlying said flanged foot member and preventing uplift of the latterwhen said flanged foot member is inserted into said shoe means.
 5. Abaseball base as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said plates aremetallic; said blade means, flanged foot member and shoe meansconstituting partial cut-out portions of said plates respectively.
 6. Abaseball base as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second plate includes asecond flanged foot member spaced from the first said flanged footmember for insertion into a second shoe means disposed on said one sideof said top surface of said plate member.